Terrebonne Parish Council discusses dress code law

Published: Monday, March 11, 2013 at 9:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 11, 2013 at 9:40 p.m.

On Monday night, the Terrebonne Parish Council discussed the constitutionality of enforcing a dress code ordinance for residents who wear saggy, baggy pants in public.

Councilman John Navy put the item on the Public, Procedure and Legal Committee agenda after hearing concerns from residents who say they want parish law enforcement to crack down on people who wear their pants so low they expose their underwear.

Houma resident James Harris asked the council if anything can be done about “youngsters who walk around the streets with their clothes hanging down below their behinds.”

Another resident, Jackie Robertson, echoed Harris’ concern.

“It’s a shame these young kids are just walking around with their clothes off just about,” he said.

Navy said the situation is a difficult one because the ordinance will largely target young black males.

On the other hand, Navy said he spoke with Jerome Boykin, president of the local NAACP, on the issue, and he agreed something ought to be enforced.

“I think it’s very inappropriate,” Navy said. “It’s not about race or age because it seems like older people are doing it too.”

Terrebonne Parish Attorney Courtney Alcock said she followed up with several other parishes with similar ordinances, and they reported having trouble with enforcement because of limited manpower and time constraints.

Mostly the parishes enforce the ordinance in a “limited manner,” she said.

Alcock suggested the council refer to the district attorney to see if the ordinance can even be enforced.

“It’s difficult for us to legislate morality,” said Councilman Danny Babin. “I think it’s terrible when you see people walking down the street like that, and we see it more and more. It’s not a racial thing. It doesn’t matter what color the person is — if they’re showing their behind on the street it doesn’t matter.”

Councilman Dirk Guidry said he would never hire someone as an employee who showed up to an interview dressed that way.

“It’s not only something for guys or black young men, it’s both white and black, and both men and women, and I really think it’s ugly,” he said. “But I think if someone really pushed this, and it was brought to the Supreme Court, it would be ruled unconstitutional to enforce this law.”

Parish President Michel Claudet said this has been an issue that has come up before.

“I do know two things — It does help. If for any reason they commit a crime, it is usually easier for us to catch them,” he said jokingly. “The second thing is as they get older, they don’t have to buy additional pants because they just grow into them.”

Claudet said he wouldn’t be in favor of pushing for the ordinance because “if it is tested it would be considered unenforceable.”

“The only way that we could enforce it is if there is a law that includes the exposure of genitalia,” he said. “And that’s not something that could happen because the same thing would happen with women showing their bra strap and things similar to that.”

Lafourche Parish already has an ordinance that makes it illegal for anyone to reveal underwear or to dress in a way that is deemed “unbecoming of his or her sex.”

Violators could be fined $50 to $100 for the first two offenses and get a $100 fine plus 16 hours of community service after revealing buttocks, underwear or even bra straps a third time, the ordinance says.

The Parish Council made a motion to have the Legal Department look into the matter further and bring it before the council at a later date.

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